Chip sales hit $18.66 billion in October

But Asia Pacific sells less than in September

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Worldwide chip sales hit a record $18.66 billion in October, although growth continued to droop in the market.

Sales rose 39.4 per cent on the previous year, with the Japanese market seeing the biggest growth with 47.4 per cent, followed by 41.3 per cent in the Americas, according to a report by the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). The Asia Pacific market increased 35.2 per cent, and Europe 33.2 per cent.

"Sales were strong in all geographic markets and most product sectors," said George Scalise, SIA president. "Sectors that continue to report record sales include flash, standard cells, analog, microprocessors, and field programmable logic which are currently driving the personal computer and consumer markets, along with the wired and wireless communications revolution."

The chip industry is still on track for an annual growth rate of 31.7 per cent reaching sales of $200 billion for 2000, according to the SIA. But chip sales in the Americas in October grew just 0.3 per cent compared to September, reaching $5.91 billion. And in Asia Pacific sales were actually 2.1 per cent lower than in September at $4.6 billion. ®